Former New Zealand No 1 Leanne Baker made the best possible comeback from injury yesterday by winning her fourth consecutive New Zealand Residential singles tennis championships and sixth consecutive doubles title.
Baker, aged 19, beat doubles partner Niki Tippins, of Canterbury, 6-2, 2-6, 6-4, using her serve-and-net game to good effect against Tippins' rallying play at the North Harbour Tennis Centre.
Baker is probably the fittest she has been, but still feels she is lacking in matches even after winning the doubles title with Tippins over Ilke Gers and Tracey O'Connor.
"It's been really great for me to get through the event - and to win.
"I came into the tournament not expecting anything.
"The final was a tough game which was good for me," she said. "I will need to play as many matches as possible in the next couple of weeks."
The left-handed Baker now poses an interesting question for ASB Classic tournament director Richard Palmer - who to give the one available wildcard into the main draw to?
Gers has risen from no ranking to 442 on the WTA list and won the Auckland champs last week, but lost to Tippins in the semifinals of the Residential.
Shelley Stephens, the Kiwi No 1, has a ranking of 325, but does not play her best on the Auckland tournament's courts, but will probably gain the doubles wildcard.
Baker's only concern for a main draw wildcard would be her lack of match practice. Her ability is still there and so is the fitness.
In the men's final, renewed confidence from the baseline helped James Greenhalgh to win his third title with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over second-seed Lee Radovanovich.
Greenhalgh, seeded first, has worked on his baseline game throughout the year and has reversed it from a former weakness to a strength on which he can now rely with confidence.
"I played five months in Europe on clay which improved my ground strokes. I now have more confidence and patience on the baseline than in the past where I would just go into net."
Radovanovich started the final badly, having his serve broken in the first game and could not put his shots together against a strong barrage from Greenhalgh.
Greenhalgh was awarded a wildcard into the $US25,000 Challenger event in Hamilton in March and will still be hoping for an outside chance at a main draw wildcard into the Heineken Open as well.
Greenhalgh combined with Alistair Hunt to win his sixth doubles title to go with his two earlier singles titles, won in 1992 and 1993.
- HERALD CORRESPONDENT
Tennis: Four in a row for fit Baker
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